The Witch Weekly: a paranormal cozy mystery (The Fairyvale Mysteries Book 2)

by Sofia Belle

  “Come on,” Layla said. “The only time you immerse yourself this much in your work is when you either have the best story in the world, or you don’t want to think about anything at all. Since I don’t think that you’re especially hankering to write another article on how to painlessly remove hair from your arms, I’m going to guess it’s the latter. So will you spare us the time arguing and just tell me what you don’t want to think about?”

  I thunked my head against the pillow.

  “Look at it this way,” Layla said softly. “If you tell me, then you don’t have to think about it anymore because you’ll have gotten it off your chest. I can help.”

  I smiled, fighting back a wave of emotions and tears. I didn’t know how she did it, but Layla always brightened a room, even when everything else felt hopeless. “You’re smart.”

  “All the more reason to talk to me.”

  “Fine, you asked for it.” Sitting up on the bed, I crossed my legs and fluffed up the pillows. I gestured for Layla to join me and she jogged over and did a cannonball onto the bed, just like when we were little.

  Living with your friends never got old, I thought. I didn’t care what others said, if Layla ever got married she was staying right here—her husband could move into her cottage so long as I got to keep my friend close. We all knew that I wasn’t getting married anytime soon, so that wouldn’t be a problem.

  As I dove into the tale of the day’s events, Layla oohed and ahhed in sympathy during all the appropriate moments. I explained to her almost everything from the second I left her shop to the present.

  “Yeah he doesn’t really sound like a killer,” Layla said when I finished recounting my incident with Dan. “I mean, maybe he’s a little weird and delusional, and I’d consider it if Hank had died from a punch to the face or something, but I just don’t see a guy like that working all stealthy-like with poisons and whatnot.”

  “I agree, but I’m running out of options. Everyone says Hank was a nice guy who went to work and went home. I’ve talked to his ex-girlfriend and his clients. Who else is there left to talk to?

  “No family?”

  “Not that I found.”

  “Did you tell the chief about Dan yet?”

  “Oh, shoot. I meant to tell him earlier, but in retrospect, it’s probably good that I didn’t. I doubt he wants to hear from me.”

  Layla raised her eyebrow. “Any particular reason why?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You left my store with the chief, but you suspiciously didn’t fill me in on any details about him. Don’t be holding out on me, Rosie!”

  “We just went for stroll and got a pretzel and that was about it.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Layla reached over and poked me on the shoulder. “You told me how many packets of Parmesan cheese you ate with your pizza—I know you remember details, and I want to hear them.”

  “Well, we talked a little bit before I sort of stormed away.”

  “You didn’t even finish your pretzel?” Layla said “You must’ve been upset.”

  “I was—for a good cause. He kept saying that Jo is in jail because the evidence points to her being guilty. He kept telling me to stay out of the case. I can’t do it, Layla. I can’t stay away when an innocent person is locked up.”

  “So you did something stupid.”

  “Yes.”

  “What sort of stupid? Did you throw something at him? Try to handcuff him?”

  “I sped away from the pretzel place and went a little bit too fast. He pulled me over for speeding.”

  “But you always go too fast.”

  “Exactly.”

  “You’re a good driver, and it’s never bothered him before.”

  “Exactly! But this time, he pulled me over. Or at least, he tried to.”

  Layla held her breath. “You ran away from the cops? I bet you are in big trouble.”

  “Honestly, less trouble than I expected. I think I distracted him from giving me a ticket.”

  “Distraction. I like it. What’s your style?”

  “I went to the clearing where the two of us went as kids. I don’t know what happened next; we talked a little bit. It was weird because for once, we weren’t clawing at each other’s throats. It was almost like we were getting along again.”

  “That sounds like a good thing.”

  “I think it was, although I can’t say for certain. We left on a strange note.”

  “Such as?”

  “Well, he asked me not to look into the case. I didn’t want to lie to him. The guy might annoy me more than anyone else in the world, but he’s a good man, and I can’t lie to his face. So instead, I told him I had a crush on him.”

  Layla’s face registered shock. “Wow, that is blunt, even for me.”

  “He heard us talking at the store, and when he asked what I was hiding from him, I completely blanked. That’s the first thing that came to mind.”

  “Is it true?”

  “No,” I said, realizing that it sounded a little more defensive than I’d intended.

  “How did he take it?”

  “It distracted him alright, but I didn’t stick around long enough to find out much more than that.”

  Thankfully, Layla didn’t press. “Let me text the Chief about Dan. It’s probably best to try and keep the peace right now, and if he knows you were looking into the case, that might not be good. I’ll tell him about the review, and I’ll let the Chief figure out the rest—he’s smart, he’ll be onto Dan in a second, but he won’t suspect you at all. I did find the review first, anyway.”

  “Why are you doing all this for me?”

  “Girl, because you can’t have stress lines! It’s time we got you ready for your date.”

  Chapter 18

  “You’re ready.” Layla nodded in approval. “You are going to wow him.”

  “Who is him?” I spun around in front of the mirror, taking stock of my attire.

  The afternoon had felt sort of like a science project for Layla; she had prodded and poked me until I’d yelped. Then she’d moved onto my hair where she’d tugged and fought and brushed. I think she even growled at my locks once or twice.

  The clothes had come last, after the vicious swiping of makeup, and she’d made me slip into a cute black skirt that was just short enough for “fun and flirty” but just long enough that I didn’t have to worry about exposing anything inappropriate to the world.

  If I were being objective, the end result was quite impressive.

  “You did a good job,” I said, glancing at the swish of the black skirt in the mirror, the tight black tank top that matched. I’d insisted on wearing a cute, cropped leather jacket over the top, even though Layla said it made me look like a cheerleader crossed with a biker chick. I was willing to try some new fashion, but I wasn’t willing to freeze for it. “Thank you for helping me get ready. Again. Hopefully this time we’ll have better results.”

  “That’s not a high bar that you’re setting for yourself,” Layla said. “Shoot for the moon. Let’s hope this one ends in a kiss.”

  “A kiss with who?”

  “Stop asking!”

  “I’m almost ready to leave! I think I should be allowed to know.”

  “It’s going to be a true blind date. You won’t know a name until you arrive.”

  “Is it someone I know already?”

  “Do you have on the lingerie set you brought home?”

  The two of us froze in a stare-off before I gave her a grudging nod.

  “Good,” she said. “Then you’re ready.”

  I inhaled a deep breath and pushed my hair out of my eyes. Layla had taken far too long on my hair. I liked a high ponytail just fine; functional, sleek, and chic. However, Layla told me that this flirty black skirt called for something more wild. Apparently my hair was wild right now in all of its curly glory.

  “Get going.” Layla pinched me and pointed towards the door. “You’re stalling. You neve
r look at yourself in the mirror this long.”

  “Of course I’m stalling. I don’t know who I’m meeting.”

  “Drive to the Forest of Fairies. Take a right on the frontage road and you’ll find the meeting place just on the edge of the clearing.”

  “This sounds dangerous,” I muttered. “This is how horror movies start. Innocent girl meets cute guy outside of forest. Then cute guy drags innocent girl into the forest and the world never hears from her again.”

  Layla tsked. “I know this guy personally, and I trust him. He’s well known in the community. You’ll be safe. Do you really think I’d send you on a date with a stranger?”

  I exhaled a long sigh. “Fine.”

  “But just in case, take this.” Layla shoved a tiny tube at me that resembled the gloss she’d swiped on my lips. Red on the outside, a silver top, and liquid on the inside of the vial. “It never hurts to be prepared.”

  “Is this lip gloss?” I started to twist off the lid, but Layla leapt towards me, waving her hands like she was stopping a fire.

  “Don’t do that!” she said, almost out of breath as she snapped the lid back shut. “If you uncork this vial it’ll knock out anyone within a few feet of the user.”

  “Including myself?”

  “You didn’t let me finish.” Layla said. She pulled out another tube, this one light pink in color but otherwise identical to the red one. “Here is the antidote.”

  I held up both vials of gloss. “Pink is cute, red is dangerous.”

  “Exactly.” Layla nodded. “As long as you’re wearing the pink lip gloss, the potion won’t affect you.”

  “Am I wearing the pink one now?” I smacked my lips and looked in the mirror. Layla had slathered something sticky on there.

  She nodded. “It wears off about every sixty minutes. Maybe a little faster if you’re eating. Speaking of, I’ve seen the way you eat. Tonight, try savoring your food. You are not in a rush to get this date over, understand? Now get a move on, and don’t forget. Apply pink at least once an hour. If you ever feel unsafe, just uncork the red and it’ll knock everyone out around you for the next couple of minutes. The spell doesn’t last long, but it’ll give you plenty of time to call for help.”

  “Does this smell have a name?”

  “Oh yeah.” Layla smiled proudly. “I invented it. I call it the Lip-Smacker. Get it? Do you get it, Rosie? Like lip-gloss, but when you open it, the spell smacks everyone unconscious.”

  “I get it,” I said dryly. “Clever.”

  “Have fun,” Layla said. “Come home with one more kiss to add to your books.”

  I grabbed my purse, stashed the lip gloss containers in an easy, accessible place, and headed towards the front door. Halfway there, a light popping noise startled me.

  “Be nice, will you?” Madrina said, standing in our entrance hall. Thankfully, she’d gone back to wearing her loose, flowing black robes. “I see you staring at me. And if you’re wondering, yes—I’m wearing the new outfit from Layla’s. I hope you are too; it really does give a girl some confidence.”

  “I am feeling so confident,” I said, trying to step around my fairy godmother. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m late for a work event.”

  “Stop calling this date a work event!” Madrina’s bony, old fingers grasped my shoulders and gave me a good shake. “If you aren’t looking for love, you’ll never find it.”

  “You’re just quoting Layla. You spent too much time in her store today.”

  “Or maybe she spent too much time around me, and she’s quoting me,” Madrina said. “Did you ever think of that?”

  I didn’t bother to argue, and this time, she let me slip around her and reach for the front door. “I’ll see you later.”

  “I want that television,” Madrina called after me. “So chew with your mouth closed and do your best to be charming, understood? You’re my biggest hope at the moment for my television.”

  I rolled my eyes and shut the door behind me, though as I walked out to my car, I couldn’t help a small smile creeping onto my face. Layla, Madrina, all of them acted tough, but really, I knew deep down that they cared.

  As much as Madrina wanted her big screen television and Layla pretended that she wanted to make a sale on lingerie, they both wanted to see me happy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have shown up to help me get ready and wish me luck. For that, I was grateful.

  “Good luck tonight,” Bel called. She walked towards me, turning around and beeping her car locked as she returned home late from work. “Remember to enjoy yourself.”

  I gave her a wry smile. “I don’t know how. Madrina’s gunning for her television, while Layla is all over me one second to kiss my date and wear lingerie, and then the next second she’s handing me deadly lip gloss.”

  Bel smiled, her gentle face crinkle into a sunny expression. “You know they love you.”

  I nodded. “That I do. So, any last minute words of wisdom from the most famous wedding planner in the world?”

  Bel inhaled. “I plan other people’s love, not my own, so… not really?”

  At Bel’s questioning lilt, I looked up and gave a shake of my head. According to “legend,” Bel had been cursed from birth; she’d never find love. She theorized it was that very curse that made her good at her job. She was so intrigued, so invested in others’ love because she believed she couldn’t find her own.

  “You’ll find someone, too,” I said. “We have no proof the curse is real. And if it is… well, curses are meant to be broken.”

  “Yeah, that’s what they say.” A flicker of sadness crossed Bel’s face before she looked up, her expression turning polite and happy and sunny again.

  It was no wonder she made such a perfect wedding planner. The woman could compose herself into a sunflower no matter the circumstances.

  “Have fun. That’s the best advice I can give you,” she said. “If you’re having fun, it’ll show. It’ll show in how you look, how you act, and how you move. And the only way to truly fall in love is to be yourself.”

  “Thanks, Bel.”

  She reached out and gave a teasing pinch of my cheeks. “All masks, all makeup falls away. It’s what’s left underneath that matters, and your insides are you best part.”

  I laughed, then pulled her into a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

  “We’ll be waiting up,” Bel said. “Layla and I are watching the Bachelor and drinking wine all night, so believe me. We’ll be ready to talk when you get home.”

  I groaned. “Can I stay with you two?”

  She pointed at the car. “Go now before I get Madrina to make you show up to your date.”

  Chapter 19

  As I drove across town, I couldn’t help the list of all the men I knew to be single and available in town flick across my mind. Surely Layla wouldn’t have set me up with Ernie the Shoe Guy.

  Ernie was nice and all, but he was more into shoes and fashion than me. Or there was Mike, who had a reputation for being in and out of jail ever since he was ten. Again, the guy was great. Super nice guy, just not for me.

  Could she have set me up with Sebastian? No, I thought. Sebastian was single, successful, and handsome. Some theorized he might be gay. I was willing to overlook that if he was good company. Hopefully it was Sebastian, now that I thought about it some more; he was courteous and intelligent and I’d once interviewed him about the stock market. If nothing else, Sebastian would make for an evening full of pleasant conversation that could possibly take my mind off of everything else happening at the moment.

  More than anything, I wanted a distraction. I didn’t want to think about Crazy Dan, or Madrina and her television set, or poor Hank. I didn’t want to sit around and worry for Jo, when I couldn’t do anything at the moment. I just wanted a night so full of work that I couldn’t think about anything else, a project so immersive that I was focused on saving The Witch Weekly and nothing else.

  I pulled onto one of several frontage roads that connected the main drag t
o the Forest of Fairies. The one Layla had directed me to was a half mile away from the turn-off I’d taken earlier today in an attempt to elude the Chief. When I reached the furthest point I could go with my car, I parked in a small clearing that served as an unofficial parking lot.

  There was one other car in the lot, but I didn’t notice it until too late. It was parked a few feet further down the road, just at the edge of the forest. The vehicle stopped me in my tracks. A cop car.

  “No.” I shook my head and took a few steps back towards my own vehicle. “Layla did not.”

  “Are you leaving so soon?” A shadowy figure stepped from just inside the edge of the Forest of Fairies, the moon glinting down onto a tired, smiling face. “What are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing here?” That was it. I shut the door to my vehicle, beeped it locked, and strode towards the edge of the trees. My handy-dandy dangerous lip glosses gave me a small sense of security as I tucked my purse closer to my body. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m working,” the Chief said, leaning against one of the largest, thickest tree trunks. “And it seems like you can’t stop ruining my work plans today.”

  “You’re working? I’m working.”

  “I thought I told you to stay away from the case.”

  “I’m not working on your case, I’m working for my own job, believe it or not.” I crossed my arms. “I do have a job, you know.”

  “Yeah, writing articles. Why do you have to come out to the Forest of Fairies to write your articles?”

  “Writing articles requires research.”

  “You’re here for research?”

  Realizing that if I continued to talk, I’d spill the beans about my date tonight. For some reason, I didn’t want the Chief to know I was here on a date, even if it would be written up in the papers in a few days, granted that everyone made it out alive this time. “Maybe. What do you care what I’m doing here? Mind your own business.”

  “I am. But if your business is getting in the way of my business, then I have a right to stick my nose in yours.”

  “I’m not here for the case! I want to be distracted from all of that crap. I’m here for a date, okay?” I burst out, throwing my arms in the air. The Chief’s eyes landed on me, watching as my shoulders heaved up and down and my breath came in spurts. “Are you happy? I’m meeting a blind date here. Now what are you doing here? Are you meeting a date, too?”